Thaw Her Frozen Heart
by AvatarxFrozen
Summary: Elsa has been receiving pressure from her council to a find suitor, but she's not sure if she's ready to take that step. Bumi had his heart broken, and is afraid to open up again. Can the two face their fears and let love enter their hearts, or will they continue to push it away?
1. Chapter 1

**I am a huge fan of Frozen and Avatar. One day, it just occurred to me that Bumi- son of Avatar Aang and Katara- and the snow queen Elsa might make a good couple. Think about it. Bumi grew up with two waterbenders in his family. I'm sure that when he annoyed his sister Kya, he, more than once, ended up frozen to the wall. It just makes sense that he wouldn't be afraid of Elsa's powers, and, being use to the fame and whatnot with his father, he wouldn't be fazed by her status as queen. He would be able to love her for who she really is, and not just her powers and status.**

 **As with all my stories, reviews are very much appreciated! I'd really love to know what you guys think about this.**

The now-famous Snow Queen Elsa of Arendelle sat calmly on the deck of the ship. She was relaxing in a chair, reading a book. A cool breeze gently brushed her face, causing the occasional stray hair to dance around. The young queen looked at peace for the first time in a while. She had been a little timid about traveling by boat, as a result of her parents' sudden death at sea, but found this method to be nice. The rocking of the ship, instead of making her sick like some of the passengers, soothed her, much like the rocking of a cradle soothed an infant.

For others, however, the trip had not gone too smoothly. This was evident when Princess Anna, Queen Elsa's sister, stepped onto the deck. The poor girl looked terrible; her light auburn hair was either stuck to her pale, sweaty face, or flying around wildly. The sea had not been as kind to her as it had to her sister.

"Elsa," she groaned, stumbling over to her sister, taking a seat beside the chair.

"Good morning, Anna," Elsa smiled at her sympathetically."How are you?"

"Just peachy," the princess replied grouchily. "Are we almost there?"

Before Elsa could answer, one of the crew shouted "Land, ho!"

"Does that answer your question?" she asked. All she got in response from her sister was a relieved sigh.

"Bumi! Are you ready to go yet?"

"Almost, Mom, hold on!"

"You're going to make us late; you should have gotten up when I first told you to instead of sleeping in for another half hour!"

Bumi smiled and shook his head. It was obvious that the arrival of the two royals of Arendelle was beginning to stress his mother out. He wasn't too sure why, though. They were probably just like normal people, only with a special title.

He finished buttoning up his shirt and looked at the mirror one more time. He frowned at the wild locks on his head and tried to tame them down with his hand as he went down the stairs. He met his mother, sister, and brother at the front door.

Katara glared at her son as he approached her. He smiled at her sheepishly, and she shook her head at him disapprovingly.

"Come on, let's go." Her tone left no room for argument. She led her children to the small boat at the docks and climbed aboard. Soon, they were sailing towards the city. Bumi passed the time messing with his little brother, much to his mothers' dismay.

"For heavens sake, would you act your age? You had best not behave like this in front of the Queen and Princess."

"Wait, we get to meet them?" Kya asked, eyes wide.

"But of course; they will be staying on Air Temple Island, after all."

"Oh, I didn't know that."

Katara nodded. "Well, now you do. And I expect all three of you to be on your very best behavior, got it?" She gave Bumi a pointed look.

"Why are you looking at me?"

"Because I know you."

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that, Mom." Kya said, smirking at Bumi. "This is his one chance to impress Royalty. Princess Anna is taken, but the Queen..."

Bumi snorted. "I think she's a bit out of my league."

Katara just glared. "Either way, behave, or so help me..."

"You'll freeze me to the wall." Bumi finished.

"Well, I wasn't going to say that, but that works, too."

"This place is amazing!" Anna chirped, spinning around and walking backwards. Her eyes flitted every direction, for there was too much to see.

"Yes, yes it is." Their blind escort said with pride. "It took a long time to get this placed established, but it was worth it." Toph continued to lead them down the road.

Elsa remained quiet. The place truly was amazing, but she couldn't help but notice just how different it was from home. It was clear the people here were of a great variety and had their own unique traditions. She also noticed how all of them had black or brown hair, making her platinum blonde hair and Anna's auburn hair stand out. They were drawing a lot of curious stares. She just tried to shrug it off and continued forward, trying to get her mind focused on the main goal of the visit.

"Well, here we are."

Elsa looked up and blinked in surprise. They had already arrived.

"Thank you." she said, nodding to Toph.

Toph bowed, a very uncommon sight.

"Anytime, your Majesty."

"Toph, you made it." A voice called. The group turned to see a woman about forty-three approach them.

"Of course I did, Sugar Queen. Did you doubt me?"

Katara rolled her eyes at her old nickname. "Not at all." She turned to the royal sisters and curtsied. "Your Majesty, Your Highness. Welcome."

Anna curtsied and Elsa gave a kind nod. "The pleasure's all ours. Might I ask your name?"

"Master Katara, wife of Avatar Aang."

"Pleasure."

Elsa's thoughts briefly turned to the Avatar. She had studied the concept behind the Avatar, and the four nations in general. She had to admit, she was rather intrigued by the idea of bending. Particularly waterbending.

"Mom!"

She looked up to see Katara turn and greet three people. Two boys and a girl.

"Oh, may I introduce my children?"

Elsa nodded.

"This is my daughter, Kya." The girl stepped forward and curtsied. She looked to about Anna's age and looked a lot like her mother.

"Hello, I'm Anna. This is my sister Elsa."

Kya smiled. "Wow. I've always wanted a sister; all I have is two brothers."

Kya and Anna immediately began a conversation. It was obvious they would get along well.

Katara cleared her throat. "Anyway," she gestured to one of the boys standing beside her. He was obviously the younger of the two, and wore red and yellow robes and had a shaved head. "This is my youngest son, Tenzin. He is an airbender, like his father."

Tenzin bowed to her respectfully. "Your Majesty, your Highness." Elsa nodded to him, and Anna paused her conversation to wave to him. Tenzin then stepped back.

"And last, but not least, my oldest son, Bumi." The oldest boy stepped forward and gave a low bow.

"Your Majesty, your Highness." He looked up as he spoke to them, but he didn't look at Anna. His eyes were locked on hers. He flashed her a crooked smile. She blinked in surprise.

"Er, hello." She blushed and realized her slip up and nodded her head to cover it up. She saw Anna staring at her in surprise out of the corner of her eye.

Bumi straightened slowly, his eyes still on hers. She couldn't bring herself to look away from the stormy grey orbs.

Thankfully, a man interrupted them. "Excuse me, your Highness, but they are ready for you."

She tore her gaze away from Bumi and turned to the man. She nodded and followed him inside.

Bumi watched Elsa go in, his heart hammering, his thoughts confused.

"Whoa," Anna and Kya turned to him, eyes wide. "What just happened?"

He didn't answer; he just stared at the ground, replaying the scene in his head. What did just happen?


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, here's chapter 2. Again, reviews are appreciated!**

Bumi rolled his eyes as he sat on the steps, trying to block out Anna and Kya's conversation; they had been talking almost non-stop for the past two hours.

He began to notice people passing him on the stairs, and he jumped when he felt a hand clamp onto his shoulder. He looked up to see his uncle Sokka smirking down at him.

"Easy there, Boomer," he said, causing Bumi to roll his eyes at his nickname. "It's just me."

Bumi shook his head and stood to follow his uncle down the stairs to his mother.

"Where's Aang?" she asked.

"Oh, he's talking to Queen Elsa."

"Ah," Katara nodded. "I take it everything went well?"

"Yeah, it did." his eyes suddenly clouded over and he changed the topic. "Man, I haven't seen hair so white since...Yue." He looked down sadly. Katara put a reassuring hand on her big brother's shoulder.

Bumi, watching his uncle with a sad expression, began to tune in to a conversation going on behind him, instantly recognizing his father's voice.

"I never got the chance to ask you, Your Majesty, what do you think of the city so far?"

"It is magnificent. I've never seen anything like it before. There's such a wide variety of culture here."

"Well, that's what we were aiming for when we created it: to bring together the different cultures and unite them."

"If you wouldn't mind, Avatar Aang, I am very interested to hear the story of this city's founding. Perhaps sometime you could tell me?"

"It would be my honor."

By then, they had reached their little group.

"Elsa!" Anna yelped, skipping away from Kya to her sister. She engulfed Elsa in a massive hug.

Elsa grunted softly at her sister's strength and gently patted her back.

"Anna, I was only gone for two hours."

"I know, but it seemed like forever!" She finally released her and backed up, settling on taking her sister's hands. "How did it go?"

"It went very well. The council was very kind."

The whole group broke into different conversations. Bumi, however, didn't join in, for once. He just listened and snuck glances over at the Queen, who was talking to her sister and Kya. He couldn't help himself.

Unsatisfied with tiny glances, he thew caution to the wind and looked her full on. His eyes focused on her face. Her white hair, blue eyes, gentle smile...it all jumped out at him. Her face was absolutely flawless, and had a kind of glow. But looks weren't the only thing that intrigued him. He could tell she was unique; there was something different about her. Her personality was a mystery to him.

Then, all of a sudden, she turned her head, and her gaze locked on his. As he looked into her eyes, he lost his breath. Those eyes, they were stunning!

He finally caught control and looked down, blushing in embarrassment. He then turned on his heel and left the group, one thought running through his mind: he wanted to get to know this girl.

When Bumi turned away from her, Elsa stared at her feet, hoping that the scene hadn't been noticed by her sister. Unfortunately, it was.

"Whoa! Did you see that?" She asked Kya. Kya nodded thoughtfully.

"Okay, Little Sisters Council!" she grabbed Kya's arm and began to drage her off.

Elsa scoffed. "That's not even a thing."

"It is now." Anna replied. Elsa merely rolled her eyes and walked over to the group of adults.

She stopped beside Katara and noticed the older woman staring at something behind her. She turned around to see Anna and Kya huddled together in their little "council".

"What in the world are those two up to?" Katara asked, eyeing the two suspiciously.

"I'm not sure." Elsa replied, but a sinking feeling in her gut told her it had to do with her.

"So, why are we having this council-thing again?" Kya asked when Anna finally let her go.

"To talk about this thing going on between your brother and my sister."

Kya just eyed her hesitantly.

"You did notice, right?"

Kya nodded slowly. "Yessss. I just didn't think it was that obvious."

Anna stared at her in surprise. "'Wasn't that obvious?' Kya, my sister stuttered. Elsa, my perfect, calm, always-in-control sister stuttered. She never stutters! And not only that she paid him more attention than she ever has any guy."

"Alright, alright." Kya held her hands up submissively. "Yeah, I noticed, and thought it was strange. Besides, you're sister's not the only one acting off. Bumi...I've never seen him act like that before around any girl, EVER."

Anna was twitching in excitement by now. "Oh, boy! Do you know what this means?"

"Um...what?"

"We've got to get them together!"

"Wait, like together, together?"

"Yes!" Anna squealed. "Wouldn't they be the cutest couple ever?!"

"Yeah," Kya's blue eyes widened in excitement. "They totally would! But, how are we going to do it?"

Anna sighed and draped her arm over Kya's shoulder. "My friend, I happen to know a thing or two about this stuff. Just follow my lead; I've got a plan."


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the long break, but here's chapter 3! Remember, reviews and comments!**

Later that evening, when the group was preparing to sit down for dinner, Anna put her plan in action.

The two girls were in their shared room, changing out of their travel clothes. Anna put on a simple green dress and redid her twin braids. She looked and saw her sister dressed in a dress with long sleeves that left only her hands and neck exposed. She also had her hair in a tight bun.t

"Elsa, come on. Don't you have something less...constricting to wear?"

Elsa sighed. "Anna, this dress is not constricting."

"It sure doesn't look comfortable; don't you feel like you're choking?"

"No, I do not, but if it means so much to you, I'll change."

"Wear an ice dress!"

"Anna, no."

"Aw, come on! Nobody'll know!"

Elsa sighed, light brushing her fingers through her bangs. "Fine."

She held her hands out and with a few gestures, she was soon wearing an ice dress similar to the one she made at her ice palace.

She faced her sister. "Happy?"

"Yes!" Anna squealed, clapping and hopping like a little girl. "Now, do your hair in a braid."

Elsa groaned and undid the bun, then brushed the hair back with her fingers. She pulled the braid over her shoulder.

"There, much better." Anna grinned then grabbed her sister's wrist. "Now, come on!"

"Anna!" Elsa yelped as she was drug out the door. "We're not at home anymore! Please, use your manners!"

"Ugh," Anna groaned and reluctantly released her sister's wrist.

Elsa rubbed her wrist as she walked up to her sister. "Now, remember, we are representing Arendelle, so please be on your best behavior."

Anna sighed. "Fine. But only if you promise to lighten up!"

Elsa glared at her for a moment.

"Fine."

Anna held out her hand, extending her pinky to her sister.

"Pinky swear?"

Elsa folded her arms. "Anna, we are not five!"

Anna just stared at her silently until the Queen relented with a sigh.

"Fine."

They locked pinkies for a moment, Anna grinning triumphantly.

"Now, come on. They're probably waiting for us."

When the girls walked into the dining room, Anna quickly noted that two seats were open: one by Kya, and the other by Bumi. She cast a sneaky glance at her sister and walked quickly to the seat by Kya, leaving her sister to sit by Bumi. Elsa took her seat calmly.

The group start eating, small conversations taking place among them. Avatar Aang told the story behind Republic City, and Elsa, in turn, told some history of Arendelle.

When they were done, some acolytes cleared away the dishes and went to finish preparing the dessert.

While waiting, Kya absentmindedly started bending the water, which Katara was quick to note.

"Kya! No bending at the table."

"Sorry, Mum." Kya mumbled back and bent the water back into the glass.

"Oh, you're a waterbender." Elsa said, eyeing the glass with interest.

"Yup. My mom taught me everything I know; she's a bender, too."

With that, Kya froze the water in the glass. Bumi merely rolled his eyes and muttered "show off".

Anna, however, reacted quite differently.

"Wow! That's so cool!" She turned to her sister. "It's kind of like your ice powers, Elsa!"

"Yes," Elsa said slowly, hesitantly. "I suppose it is."

"Could you show us?" Kya asked eagerly.

"My powers?"

"Yeah! If...If you want to." Kya and Anna both stared at her pleadingly.

"Come on, Elsa, please?" Anna pleaded, leaning forward. "Do the magic?"

Elsa sighed. "Very well." She rubbed her hands together, forming a small ball of magic. She looked across the table at the two girls and shot them a smile. "Ready?"

They both nodded mutely, Anna grinning madly, and Kya watching in awe.

Elsa lightly threw the ball in the air, where it exploded with a poof. Glittering snow flakes began to fall.

Anna giggled lightly, while the Avatar and his family watched in wonder.

"Incredible." Aang whispered, catching a snowflake in his hand. Katara nodded in agreement.

"Wow, this is so cool!" Kya stated, laughing.

"Beautiful." Bumi muttered in agreement, but he wasn't looking at the snow.

Elsa blushed and turned away in embarrassment. Kya and Anna snickered.

"Still think they're not meant to be?" Anna muttered to her new friend, eyeing the two.

"Oh, they're meant to be, alright. Now, we just have to get them to see that.


	4. Chapter 4

That night, as Bumi was preparing for bed, someone knocked on his door. He pulled a shirt over his head and called for the individual to enter.

Kya opened the door and strolled in, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Hey, big brother." she greeted. She walked over to his bed and sat down.

"So," she continued, pretending to smooth out her dress. "What did you think of the Snow Queen?" She shot him a sneaky smile.

Bumi blushed. "Shut up." he mumbled.

"Ooh, you like her!"

"I said shut up!"

"Aww, it's okay. It's cute!" Kya got up and walked over to her brother. She threw her arm around his shoulders. "Tell you what, how about tomorrow, you give her a tour of the island, just you and her."

Bumi hesitated. "I don't know if that would be appropriate."

Kya snorted. "Since when do you care whether or not something's appropriate?"

"Kya, she's a queen!"

"So? I thought titles didn't matter to you."

"They don't! But she still deserves respect."

Kya rolled her eyes. "Bumi, there's nothing disrespectful about giving her a tour of the island. Just do it."

Bumi slumped in defeat. "Fine. But if she sends her army after me, it's on you!"

"Sure thing," she replied. "Make sure you dress nice!" She then exited the room to find Anna standing in the hallway.

"Well?" Anna asked, skipping up to her friend. "What'd he say?"

"He says he'll do it, but if she calls her army on him, it's on me."

Anna laughed. "Oh, please, Elsa wouldn't do that. She might freeze him, but she won't send the soldiers."

"Oh, I hope this works."

"It will," Anna said confidently. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

With that, Anna skipped off to the room she and her sister shared. She entered the room to find Elsa seated on her bed, already in a night gown, brushing her hair.

"What are you so happy about?" She asked suspiciously. She put the brush down and began to braid her hair into a loose braid, her delicate fingers weaving the small strands with perfection.

"You'll see." Anna sang, changing into her night gown.

Elsa opened her mouth to respond, but decided against it and shook her head. There was no point trying to force it out of the stubborn redhead.

The next morning, Elsa rose early and got ready for her meeting. Just as she was about to leave their room, Anna woke up.

"Hey, Els, where ya goin'?" She mumbled, rubbing her eye.

"I've got a meeting this morning, remember?"

"What?!" Anna yelped, fully awake. She stumbled out of bed and over to her sister. "Elsa, you can't go!"

Elsa cocked her eyebrow. "Anna, you know I have to."

"But-"

"Anna!" Elsa crossed her arms. "Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is. What's gotten into you?"

"Ooh, no. No, no, no! This ruins everything!" Anna pulled at her hair. "I need to tell Kya!" She then ran out of the room, leaving Elsa staring after her, bewildered and confused.

Anna raced down the hallway (only tripping twice!) until she reached Kya's door. She began to hammer on it, shouting Kya's name.

A sleepy, rather annoyed Kya opened the door to find the princess panting in her pajamas with a messy bed head.

"What-?"

Anna pushed past her and pulled her back in, shutting the door behind her.

"Anna, what the heck?!"

"Elsa...meeting." Anna panted. "Plan...ruined."

"Wait, what?"

Anna sucked in a deep breath and spoke. "Elsa has a meeting this morning."

"Are you serious?!"

Anna nodded grimly. Kya groaned and leaned back against the door. "Great, what do we do now?"

They sat in silence for a moment, then Kya perked up. "I'll go talk to my dad, maybe he can put it off."

"Okay, you go do that. I'm going back to my room."

The two girls parted their separate ways. Kya walked into the kitchen and found her mother making breakfast.

"Hey, Mom, have you seen Dad?"

"Yeah, he's in the living room."

"Thanks." Kya walked into the living room and found her father on the couch reading over some reports.

"Hey, Dad."

Aang glanced up at her. "Good morning, Kya."

"So, there's a meeting today?"

"Yes."

"Is there any chance you could, I don't know, reschedule it?"

Aang gave her his full attention. "Now, why would I do that?"

"Because I-we-Anna and I need Elsa."

Aang stared at her for a moment before a small grin crossed his face. "That s wouldn't have anything to do with a plan that involves your brother and the Queen, now would it?"

Kya stared at him, stunned. "How did you know?"

He smirked at her. "I may be old, but I still see things, and I have to say, you and Princess Anna may have correct assumptions."

Kya grinned. "You think so?"

Aang nodded. "I do. If there's one thing I know, it's that love can prevail in even the most unusual circumstances. And I want nothing more than to see your brother find his own 'Forever Girl'. If Queen Elsa's the one then, hey." He shrugged.

"So...you'll cancel it for the sake of love?"

Aang shook his head. "Sorry, but no."

Kya sighed in disappointment.

"But, I'll tell you what. The island is much more romantic at night, so maybe enforcing your plan tonight will be more successful."

Kya smirked at her dad. "Wow, Dad, I didn't know you were such a romantic."

He grinned and winked. "Hey, I had to win your mother over somehow."

 **Oh, Aang, you're such a hopeless romantic, haha. Anyway, I'm super, SUPER sorry for the wait. I've been busy with the start of school (it's my senior year) and other stuff, and yeah. A big Thank You to all of you have stuck with this story and given me your support! You guys are awesome!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Do I have to wear this?" Bumi asked, trying in vain to tug his vest into a comfortable position. "I look ridiculous."

"Yes, you do, and you look fine." Kya slapped his hand away. "Like you said, you are going out on a date with the Queen."

"It's not a date!" he snapped. "I'm just showing her the island."

Kya waved her hand dismissively. "Whatever. You still need to look nice." Her eyes focused on his wild hair. "Now, your hair..."

He clamped his hands over his head. "No, leave my hair! I am a wild stallion ostrich-horse that cannot and will not be tamed!"

His sister rolled her eyes. "No, you look like a wild hog-monkey who's been rolling in grass, now at least brush it!"

"Fine!" he snapped, and roughly pulled a comb through his tangled hair.

A frantic pounding on the door caught their attention. Kya opened it to find a panting Anna.

"Elsa's back." she gasped. She stood straight and sucked in a deep breath. She glanced at Bumi and grinned. "Wow, you look nice!"

A deep blush crossed his face.

"Aw, look, you embarrassed him." they laughed. Kya then smiled and put her hand on his shoulder. "Ready?"

Bumi gulped, then nodded.

Anna walked up to him. "Take care of my sister, now, you hear?"

Bumi nodded quickly, and Anna grinned. "Good." She punched his shoulder playfully. Bumi cringed, but smiled sheepishly.

"Alright," Kya said, and pushed him out the door. "Go get her."

Bumi shot the two a glare over his shoulder and walked out to begin the painfully long (though it was actually quite short) walk to the docks. The whole walk there, his stomach knotted up and his throat felt as dry as a desert.

When he arrived he was able to locate the light-haired queen easily. She was once again conversing with his father about who knows what. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked. Her blue dress, while modest, fit her just right and highlighted her curves. The dress also made her icy blue eyes stand out and highlighted her pale skin and hair.

He waited patiently for them to finish their conversation, and when they parted ways, he decided to make his move.

"Queen Elsa!"

Elsa stopped and stared at him in mild surprise. "Bumi," she greeted, and when he bowed, she waved her hand. "Oh, please, no need for formalities here. What can I do for you?"

"I was actually wondering if, u, your majest-, no her-" he broke off with a frustrated sigh, and Elsa's lips twitched up in an amused smile. He took a deep breath. "Would you like a tour of the island? With me?"

Elsa smiled. "That sounds lovely."

Bumi held his arm out to her and she took it, and he guided them off the docks to begin the tour. He saw a flash of orange, and looked over his shoulder to see his father grinning at him proudly. Aang winked, and Bumi rolled his eyes at him, then faced forward. Elsa gave him an inquisitive look and he just smiled instead. Elsa couldn't help but smile back; his smile was contagious. Kind of cute, too, a small part of her brain whispered. She shoved the thoughts aside quickly, a slight blush rising to her cheeks. No, she thought firmly, there is NO way I'm going down that road.

But what's the harm, the little voice whispered.

Already feeling a headache coming on, Elsa shoved the thoughts away; all of them. She had already spent all day debating and setting terms for trade; she didn't need to do argue with herself now.

As they walked along the beach, Bumi pointed out the living quarters, the training and meditation areas, and the gardens where the acolytes grew their own food. However, as they continued to walk, the discussion turned to a kind of question-answer game.

"So, what did you do for fun when you were young?" Elsa asked.

Bumi laughed. "I'll tell you, only if you promise not to rat me out to my mother; I don't know if she knows about all of these incidents."

Elsa looked at him in alarm. "What did you do?"

"Pranking was my favorite past time. The acolytes were really fun to mess up. I'd steal their robes off the clotheslines, and once I let loose a box of elephant-rats on the meditation pavilion during meditation. You should have seen their faces!" He laughed again, shaking his head.

Elsa laughed with him. "Those poor acolytes!"

"Nah, I put them through worse. I could go on and on about the crap I did when I was little, but enough about me, what did you do?"

Elsa's smile dropped and she looked away, a sad expression on her face. Bumi instantly felt awful. "I'm sorry if I said something wrong. If you don't want to talk about it-"

Elsa looked up and smiled sadly. "No, it's okay. Before the accident, I spent most of my time with Anna. We got into quite a bit of trouble ourselves." She smiled fondly at the memory. "One time, we snuck down to the kitchens in the middle of the night for chocolate. We fell asleep down there, and the next morning our parents found us passed out in the pantry covered in chocolate. We got grounded from chocolate for a week."

Bumi laughed, trying to imagine the proper queen beside him passed out on the floor covered in chocolate. Then a sudden thought occurred to him.

"Wait...accident?"

Elsa sighed. "When I was eight and Anna was five, we were playing in the ballroom. She loved watching me use my magic. Anyway, she started jumping on snow piles, and kept going faster and faster." She took an unsteady breath. "I couldn't keep up with her. Then to make things worse, I slipped. I saw her falling and tried to catch her, but I hit her in the head instead. My parents took us to the trolls, and they erased her memories of my magic. After that, we were separated. And I think you know the story from there." Elsa wiped a tear from her eye and giggled, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I ruined the mood. I always seem to do that."

Bumi smiled at her. "No, it's okay. I was the one who asked."

They kept walking and talking, and before they knew it, they were back to the living quarters. Bumi walked Elsa to her room.

"Thank you, Bumi. That was really nice." She smiled at him warmly. Bumi's stomach flipped. Wow, that smile. Those eyes! He merely grinned back.

"You're very welcome, Elsa. It was fun. Maybe we could...do it again sometime?"

Elsa nodded. "I'd like that."

"Well, goodnight."

"Goodnight."

And with that, they parted ways, both to be harassed by their little sisters. While they didn't say much about what happened, Anna and Kya could tell it went well, and they were thrilled. They just hoped that everything kept running smoothly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The next morning at Breakfast, Bumi found himself excited to see Elsa. He had fallen asleep with her on his mind, and he had to admit, there was a lot more to the young queen than met the eye. He was looking forward to getting to know her better. He became concerned, however, when an exhausted Anna came down alone.

She smiled weakly in greeting. "Hey, guys."

"Good morning, Anna," Katara said, looking at her with concern. "Are you alright? Where's Elsa?"

Anna sighed, and rubbed a hand across her face. "She, uh, had a rough night."

Katara's concern grew. "Is she sick?"

Anna hesitated. "No, not really. It's, um...well, it's complicated. She'll be okay, she just needs some rest."

Bumi frowned, growing worried. "She seemed fine when I dropped her off last night. Did I-"

"No! No, no, no, it was nothing you did. These things can happen at any time. She actually looked pretty happy when she got back. I don't know what happened."

Bumi sighed in relief. He was still worried, mind you, but he was relieved it wasn't anything he did.

His mother spoke his next thoughts for him. "Well, I hope she gets better soon. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Anna sighed. "She asked me to go in her place today, so I guess if you guys could watch over her for me? She might fight a bit at first, she doesn't like to look weak."

"Oh, nonsense. Even queens go through rough patches. There will be no judgment. I'll let her rest for a bit before I check on her, but before you go, let her know that if she needs anything, I'll just be down here."

Anna smiled in relief. "Thank you, so much."

"It's not a problem at all."

Anna suddenly looked at him with a mischievous glint in her eye. "And you'll help too, right, Bumi?"

Bumi blushed, but before he could respond, his father clasped his shoulder and said, "Of course he will."

"If she wants it." He added. He knew pushing would get him nowhere.

Anna grinned at him. "Excellent. So, uh, when are we leaving?" She directed the last question at Aang.

"In about fifteen minutes, so go ahead and eat up. Who knows how long this meeting could go."

Elsa whimpered softly and held her head in her hands; she really wished Anna was with her, but as she'd said herself so many times, the needs of Arendelle must come first.

A soft knock sounded on her door. "Elsa? It's Katara, are you doing okay?"

"Yes." she whispered hoarsely, cringing at her voice. She didn't sound convincing whatsoever.

"No, you're not." Katara stated gently. "Is it all right if I come in?"

Elsa wanted to refuse, but she didn't want to be rude when the woman had been so kind to her and her sister. She also felt like she could be trusted. "Yeah."

Katara walked in and over to her bed and gingerly sat down. "You know, it's okay to not be okay." she said in a motherly voice. Elsa looked up at her in surprise. Katara just chuckled. "I've been married to Aang for years, and he has the same problem: he hates feeling vulnerable and weak. I'm going to tell you the same thing I told him: even the most powerful people get sick or have bad days. It's okay to not always be okay."

Elsa sighed. "I know, you're right. It's just..." She let a frustrated sigh. "I feel like people are always watching me, looking for any weakness, whether it be emotionally, physically, or with my powers. And, well, I kind of have anxiety. And depression. Sometimes it just gets away from me. That's what happened last night."

Katara smiled sympathetically. "I'm sure it's hard. But you know what? You're one of the strongest, bravest women I've ever met."

"Really?" Elsa asked.

"Really." Katara took Elsa's pale hand in her own. Elsa didn't even flinch. "Just because you struggle with things, it doesn't mean you're weak. If anything, it makes you that much braver and stronger.

Elsa smiled. It was nice to know someone besides Anna didn't see her as weak. "Thank you. For everything. You didn't have to go to all this trouble."

Katara waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, it's been no trouble whatsoever. I've found that once you become a mother, the instinct to care for and protect never really leaves. Oh, and I should tell you, Bumi has been worried about you."

Elsa blushed. "Wow, really?"

Katara chuckled at the younger woman's expression. "Yeah. He's grown fond of you, Elsa."

Elsa shifted in her seat, her heart starting to race. She liked Bumi, she really did, but she wasn't sure if she was ready for that kind of relationship. Katara, who seemed to read her mind, was quick to soothe her.

"Don't worry, he's not going to rush things. I don't know if he's ready for that himself. It hasn't been that long..."

Elsa looked up at her curiously. "If you don't mind me asking, it hasn't been that long since what?"

Katara sighed. "He didn't tell you. Well, you may as well know. A while ago, he started dating the daughter of one of our friends. Fire Lord Zuko. I think you may have met him?"

The name did sound familiar, and Elsa raked her brain. "Oh, yes, he was at the meeting. He has a daughter?"

"Yes, he does. She's around Bumi's age. Anyway, they started dating, and things were going well. Mostly. They did fight a lot, though. Both of them were extremely stubborn and outgoing, and soon it became too much and they broke up. He did love her, though, and he's still trying to get over it."

Elsa pondered it thoughtfully, and a strange feeling curled in her stomach. Was that jealousy? No, no, no. Elsa quickly stopped herself. We're just friends, nothing more.

"That's...really too bad. I've never been in a relationship, but from what I've seen, break ups are hard."

"It has been hard. But since he met you...he has light in his eyes again. Now, I'm not saying this has to go somewhere, but you're changing his life, whether you realize it or not."

"I'm glad." Elsa said. "That he's happy again, I mean. He deserves to be happy. He's very kind, and is a good man."

"I am rather proud of how he turned out."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Who is it?" Katara called out.

"It's just me, Mom." Bumi replied. "Can I come in?"

Katara looked at Elsa and Elsa nodded. Katara gave him permission and Bumi poked his head in. "Some of the acolytes are asking for you. Apparently one of the kids got in an accident of some sort."

Katara sighed. "Alright." She looked at Elsa. "I'll be back soon." Elsa nodded, and she turned to Bumi. "Bumi, you stay here in case she needs anything, okay?"

"Er...okay."

With that, Katara left the two alone. Elsa fiddled with her braid and Bumi rubbed the back of his neck.

"So," he started, and Elsa finally looked up. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay."

Bumi nodded. "That's good." He continued to stand there awkwardly. Elsa gave him a small smile and motioned to the chair next to the bed. "You can take a seat if you like; you don't have to stand there."

Bumi smiled and thanked her before sitting down.

"So," he began again, making Elsa bite back a giggle. "Anna said you had a rough night. I don't mean to pry, but can you tell me what happened?"

"I, erm, had a...panic attack of sorts last night. They wear me out and always leave me drained."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's alright." she sighed. "I've kind of grown used to them."

He looked at her in concern. "Do you have these often?"

"Not as much as I used to, and Anna's usually there to help calm me down."

"I really am sorry. It's not fair that you have to go through that, you already have enough on your plate."

Elsa just smiled at him. She found his concern rather endearing. "I'm adjusting. Just like I did with my powers."

"Can you show me them again, you know, if you feel up to it?" He stared at her with hopeful eyes that looked almost childlike and, in a way, reminded her of Anna. She couldn't find it in herself to refuse.

"Oh, alright." she said playfully and made the glowing ball of magic in her hands before shooting it up in the air, where it exploded. She also waved her hands together to make a tiny ice statue of Olaf. She extended it to him and he took it, examining it in amazement.

"That's my living snowman, Olaf."

He looked at her wide-eyed. " _Living?!_ "

She giggled. "Yes. Don't ask me how it happened, because I have no idea. It just did. He likes warm hugs." She added as a side note.

"You know, I think I'd like to meet this Olaf."

She smiled. "Come to Arendelle sometime, and you will."

He chuckled. "I may take you up on that."

Unknown to the two of them, Katara was watching through the crack in the door. She wasn't a fan of eavesdropping, but she couldn't help herself. She also found it was worth it, seeing her son so happy for what seemed like the first time in forever.

Maybe, just maybe, something could come out of this.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The next week passed smoothly. Elsa recovered from her episode and returned to her position as representative of Arendelle, much to Anna's relief. She secured a trade agreement, but had also made progress in another area as well. Her and Bumi were now pretty close friends. Anna and Kya were slightly disappointed that their relationship hadn't progressed any further, but hey, progress was progress. They both knew that their older siblings had trouble trusting others; Elsa because of her isolation and the whole incident with Hans betraying Anna, and Bumi because he got his heart broken by someone he loved. It would take time for them to trust each other enough to let their relationship progress, and Anna and Kya were set on making that happen.

The day Elsa and Anna were set to leave, everyone came to say their goodbyes on the docks. While Elsa was thanking Katara and Aang for everything, Kya and Anna embraced and said their parting words.

"I'm really gonna miss you." Anna said with a slight pout. "It was nice to have someone to hang out with it. Not that I don't like to hang out with my sister, she's just busy a lot, and-" she coughed in embarrassment. "Sorry, rambling again."

Kya grinned. "I like it! It's nice to have someone who likes to talk as much as I do. I'll miss you as well, Anna. I never get to hang out with girls my age, especially nice ones like you who actually understand what it's like to be related to someone who holds so much power."

Anna blushed at the compliment and grinned at her friend, then leaned closer. "We _have_ to make sure those two stay in touch; they probably shouldn't go too long without seeing each other, either. I have a feeling the council at Arendelle is going to start putting a lot of pressure on Elsa to marry, and soon."

Kya nodded. "I'll try and convince my dad to find a reason to visit." She suddenly got a thoughtful look in her eye. "You know, Bumi travels a lot with the United Forces, and they're always looking for places that will allow them to stop and get provisions. I think my dad said something about that being a part of the treaty."

Anna beamed. "It is! I remember them talking about it! Do you know when he is returning?"

"Next week, I think. I also think they're heading North and will pass by Arendelle. I'll send you a letter before he leaves to let you know."

"And when he gets there, I'll make sure they spend time together."

Kya grinned. "Sounds like a plan to me."

The two girls returned to the group. Anna said goodbye to Aang and Katara, and Kya said goodbye to Elsa. Katara and Aang had to get back, and Kya and Anna deliberately left Bumi and Elsa alone together to say goodbye. They stood there in silence for a moment.

"Well," Elsa said, breaking the silence. "It's been fun."

Bumi nodded. "It has. I'm really glad I got to get to know you a little better, Elsa."

Elsa blushed slightly and nodded back with a shy smile. "I'm glad, too."

"Um," Bumi rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the ground. "I was wondering if it's alright if we, you know, exchange letters? If it's not proper, it's totally fine if we don't, or if you don't want to, but I just thought it might be nice if we, you know, stay in touch?"

Elsa smiled and nodded, looking more like a schoolgirl with a crush than a queen. "I'd like that."

Bumi smiled at her and bowed, taking her hand. "Well, Your Majesty, it's been a pleasure. Until we meet-or write, I guess-again."

Elsa nodded. "Yes, and if you're ever passing by, feel free to stop. The castle is open to you and any members of your family, as well as the United Forces."

"Thank you, I just might take you up on that."

"I look forward to it." And she was honest when she said that.

Once they were on their way, Anna decided to talk to her sister and see if she could extract any details. She found Elsa on the deck, looking out over the water with what appeared to be a somewhat sad expression.

"So," Anna said, coming up beside her. "You and Bumi, huh?"

"What?" Elsa looked at her in surprise. "Oh, Anna, we're just friends, nothing more."

"Uh-huh." Anna said, unconvinced. "Just admit it Elsa, you like him."

"Yes, I like himas a person and as a _friend_."

"Elsa, come on! Just admit it! I saw the way you two looked at each other! You both like each other, but you're both to stubborn and scared to admit it!"

"Anna, I've only known him for a _week_. That's not enough time to fall in love, especially not for me."

"Well, of course it's not true love yet, but that doesn't mean you can't like him."

Elsa sighed. "I just...don't think I'm ready to be in a relationship yet."

Anna laid a hand on her shoulder. "I don't expect you to be, and I don't think he does, either. Just...promise me you won't completely shoot it down?"

"Okay, I won't. Don't get your hopes up, though."

Anna just hugged her in response. Elsa rolled her eyes at her beloved little sister and hugged her back. "Anna, you're a goof, but I love you."

Anna jabbed her side, and Elsa squeaked and jumped back. Anna stuck her tongue out at her. "Well, you're too serious, but I love you, too, you stinker."

Elsa smiled and began to drag Anna below deck. "Come on, let's get off the deck, maybe that'll hold your seasickness off for a little while."

Anna groaned and slumped into her.

"Don't worry, Anna." she soothed, pulling the younger girl down onto her bed. "I'll be right here."

Anna laid down and yawned. "Hey, Elsa?"

"Yes?"

"You'd make a great mother."

Elsa stared at her in surprise. The thought had never really crossed her mind, so she had no response at the moment. Anna saved her from having to respond when she continued.

"You're so nice and warm and gentle and loving. Any kid would be lucky to have you for their mom." With that, Anna dozed off. Elsa still stared at her, stunned. Then she got up to look out the small window in their room. She had never imagined herself as a mother. _I guess it'll have to happen at some point, though; Arendelle needs an heir_ , she thought, _and a prince consort_. That reminded her of the comment her council had made before she left, and she cringed.

"Queen Elsa," they had said. "We have decided it is now in the best interest of Arendelle for you to begin seeing suitors. The kingdom needs a prince consort, and an heir."

Bumi stayed at the docks for a while after the boat disappeared. He sat on the edge and stared out over the water, deep in thought. He snapped back to attention when Kya took a seat beside him.

"Miss her already?"

Bumi shot her a glare, but didn't say anything. Kya grinned wickedly. "You do! Aww, my big brother likes a girl!"

He sighed. "Kya..."

"Oh, don't deny it, I saw the way you looked at her."

He didn't respond.

"Bumi?" Kya asked in a much more serious tone.

"Yeah?"

"Don't shut down. It's okay to fall in love. You never know, she might be the one."

"But what if she's not?" He asked, turning to look at her. "I don't want..." He sighed, and stopped talking.

Kya looked at him sympathetically and put an arm around his shoulder. "I know what happened with Izumi hurt you, and I'm sorry, but not every time's going to be like that. Besides, she's just as nervous about all this as you are."

Again, he didn't reply. Kya sighed. "Just give it a chance, okay?"

"'Kay"

"Now come on, Mom says lunch is ready."

"I'll be in in a minute."

Kya turned and left, leaving Bumi alone. He lay back on the docks and stared up at the clouds. Maybe Kya was right; maybe he should give it a chance.


	8. Chapter 8

**A few consistent updates, yay! I've made a goal to be a bit better about, so I'll give it a shot! I was a little late this week, but a little late is better than never.**

Anna sighed in relief as she stumbled off the ramp and into Kristoff's arms. Elsa followed her sister with more grace, waving at the crowd that had gathered to welcome home their queen and Princess. She came to a stop by Anna and Kristoff and rolled her eyes at their displays of affection.

"Save it, you two." She said with a bit of irritation; they'd had this conversation many times before.

Anna pulled away from Kristoff and turned to Elsa. "You're just jealous because Bumi's not here for you to love on."

Elsa glared at her, a blush forming on her cheeks. "That's not it, and you know it."

"Wait," Kristoff interrupted. "Who's Bumi?"

"Elsa's new boyfriend." Anna replied nonchalantly.

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"Whatever." Anna replied, and grabbed Elsa and Kristoff's arms and began to drag them back to the castle. "Now come on, I'm starving."

Elsa smiled slightly and shook her head as she followed Anna into the castle. They were greeted inside by the Council.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness." One of the older members greeted. "Welcome back." All the members bowed.

Elsa nodded politely. "Gentlemen."

"Your Majesty, we hate to bother you so soon, but there is a matter of business we need to discuss."

Elsa nodded, and turned to Anna and Kristoff. "You two go ahead; I'll catch up."  
The two nodded and walked out. As soon as they were out the door, Anna yanked Kristoff's arm and pulled him back to the door.

"What are we doing?" He whispered.

"Shh!" Anna said and pressed her ear to the door. Kristoff stared at his girlfriend in bewilderment. "Are you crazy?! Elsa will kill you if she finds out!"

Anna glared at him. "Well, Elsa's not going to find out, because you're not going to tell her. Now shush, I'm trying to listen!"

Kristoff sighed and followed Anna's lead and pressed his ear to the door.

"Your Majesty, please! Please, reconsider."

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline." Anna could easily detect the irritation laced into her sister's tone. "My mind is made up."

Anna and Kristoff looked at each other in confusion. What was she talking about?

"Queen Elsa, you know as well as I do that it is in the best interest of the kingdom for you to find a suitor. Arendelle needs a prince consort and an heir."

Anna and Kristoff looked at each other, stunned.

"I am not one to pull rank, Councilor, but you best remember to whom you are speaking and where you stand. I am well aware of what it is the council desires, and I am not opposed to the idea, but hosting a ball to gather suitors? This is how princes like Prince Hans are able to execute their schemes."

The room fell quiet at the reminder of the deceptive prince.

"My answer is no." Elsa's voice rang with authority, so no one argued. "You are dismissed." She said quietly.

Anna and Kristoff scrambled away from the door as the council walked out. They began to tip toe away when Elsa called them in.

"Anna, Kristoff, you can come in."

They froze and glanced at each other with fearful expressions before they walked into the room. Elsa was leaning against the wall, one hand massaging her temple. She looked exhausted and stressed, and they hadn't even been home an hour.

"You know, it's not considered polite to eavesdrop." She said without opening her eyes.

"How-?"

"You two need to learn how to whisper quietly."

They looked at each other guiltily. "We're sorry, Elsa, we just-"

Elsa held up her hand. "It's alright, just…try to refrain from doing so next time."

They agreed quietly and Anna approached her sister. "Elsa, are you okay?"

She sighed and stood up straight. She gave her a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just…they are impossible to deal with sometimes."

Anna stared at her sympathetically before she pulled her into a hug. "I don't want you to think I'm taking sides with them, because I'm not, but maybe it would be good if you found yourself a man." She knew the perfect one, too.

Elsa sighed. "Anna…"

Anna pulled back. "I just want you to be happy."

She smiled. "I am happy."

Anna rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean." Her eyes lit up. "Hey, just tell them Bumi's your suitor, I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

Elsa blushed. "Anna!"

"You don't have to marry him right away! He'll just be your official boyfriend. Or fiancée, since he has to marry you, 'cause it would be embarrassing for someone to break up with the queen and…ahem, sorry."

Elsa glared at her. "Anna, it's not going to happen."

"Elsa, come on! You promised you would keep an open mind!"

"I am," Elsa replied. "I never said I wouldn't try to get to know him better, I just said I'm not going to officially court him right now. If I even bring him up, they'll expect me to marry him by the end of the year."

Anna blinked. "And how is that bad?"

"Anna, I barely know him! And I've told you this before, you can't marry a man you just met."

"But you didn't just meet him!"

"Two weeks isn't enough time to get to know someone!"

Before their argument could escalate, Kristoff stepped in and laid a hand on Anna's shoulder. "Anna, I think we should let your sister be for now. She knows what she's doing."

Anna sighed. "You're right." She looked at Elsa. "Elsa, I'm sorry."

Elsa gave her a small smile. "It's okay, just…trust me on this, okay?"

"Okay." Anna said and put her arm around her shoulder. She began to lead her out of the room. "Now, you go rest. I'll hold of your council for a while. You need to sleep."

They stopped at Elsa's room and she gave her little sister a hug. "Thank you, Anna."

Anna hugged her back. "You're welcome." She said, then pushed Elsa into her room. "Now go get some sleep, you stinker."

Elsa smiled and walked in and closed the door. As soon as it was shut, a worried frown crossed Anna's face. She walked to her room and sat at her desk, pulled out some paper, and began to write. She had to warn Kya about the council's demand.

After she was done, she sealed it and went to find Kai. She found him near the doors and handed him the letter. "I need you to deliver this as soon as you can."

"Yes, your Highness. Where will we be sending it to?"

"Republic City."


	9. Chapter 9

**Well, I'm back! Sorry for the long wait. But, hopefully this long chapter kind of makes up for it! Oh, and the Kenai in this story is not from Brother Bear. I just kind of had troubles trying to come up with a water tribe name, and that one seemed like a name that could pass.**

Bumi leaned over the side of the ship, waving to his family as the ship began to leave. The United Forces Navy was traveling to the North Pole, but his fleet would stop part way through to rest and restock for about a week. And, much to Bumi's delight, that place would be their new trading partner: Arendelle. He couldn't help the butterflies that formed in his stomach at the thought of seeing Elsa again. He sighed in frustration; this was getting ridiculous. You couldn't fall in love with someone you'd only known for a little while; it was just a crush, that's what he told himself.

However, he couldn't help but remember that his parent's relationship started with his dad having a crush on his mom, and look at where they were now. That thought both excited and terrified him.

He turned and walked into his cabin and looked at the map on the wall. It would be about two weeks before they arrived in Arendelle. After that, it was to the North Pole. He was pulled from his thoughts when his roommate walked in. He and Kenai had known each other since they were little, because Kenai's mom had grown up with Katara and they had moved to Republic City. Kenai had also joined the United Forces around the same time Bumi had.

"Excited to get to Arendelle, huh?" Kenai said with a grin. "I've heard that their Queen is quite beautiful. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Bumi turned to glare at him, then looked back at the map. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Kenai laughed. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about your little crush on the Queen. I'm sure they'll find out when they see you two together, though. Especially if you're around each other as much as you were while she was here."

Bumi narrowed his eyes at him. "Were you spying on us?"

"Nope. I was just put in charge of coordinating things with Avatar Aang, and just happened to spot you two on your little stroll. So, was that all the contact you had, or…?"

Bumi picked up his bag and threw it at his friend. "Get your mind out of the gutter, nothing like that happened."

"Hey, I was just wondering if you two had shared a little mouth-to-mouth, but if that's how far you went…better hope the council up there doesn't find out."

Bumi went to smack his head, but Kenai ducked away. "I told you, noth-"

"Dude, I know, chill." Kenai laughed. "I'm just messing with you."

Bumi rolled his eyes. "You're a pain. But unfortunately, I'm stuck with you. Now, come on. We've got stuff to do."

They both got up and left the cabin.

"So, can I be your Best Man?" *Smack* "Ow!"

Anna bounced on her toes anxiously as she stared out the window at the fjord. The United Forces were scheduled to arrive within the next half hour, and Anna was beyond excited. And impatient. She had plans she needed to set in motion, but they couldn't happen until the ship showed up! She needed to make those two fall in love as soon as possible, before the Council married her sister off to some snobby prince.

"Hey, Anna!"

Anna turned and smiled. "Hi, Olaf."

He climbed up on the window seat and looked out the window with her. "What are we looking at?"

"We're waiting for Elsa's boyfriend to arrive."

Olaf gaped at her. "Elsa has a boyfriend?"

Anna hesitated. "Well, he's not her boyfriend _yet._ But he will be!"

"Oh." Olaf seemed satisfied and stared out the window in silence.

Thirty minutes later, they watched a ship pulled into the fjord. Anna gasped. "He's here!" she screeched and sprinted out the door. "Come on, Olaf!"

"Coming!" Olaf yelled and waddled after her as fast as he could.

Anna and Olaf rushed to the docks as soon as the ship pulled up. Bumi was one of the first ones off and was nearly knocked over when Anna flung herself at him. "Whoa!" He staggered back and managed to keep his balance. He laughed. "Well, hello to you, too."

The rest of the men were giving them strange looks. Kai, who had followed Anna down, rolled his eyes at her and began to welcome the men. They would be staying in their ships (even though they had been offered a place at a hotel in town), and Bumi and his Commander were visiting the castle that evening. The main reason Bumi was going was because he already knew the Queen and Princess.

Anna pulled away and grinned at him. She was about to say something when a voice behind her shouted, "Hi, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" Olaf bounced up beside her and waved at Bumi.

Bumi stared at him for a second, then grinned. "Oh, so _you're_ the famous Olaf I've heard about." He bowed at him dramatically. "Greetings, Sir Olaf."

Olaf grinned. "Sir?" He looked up at Anna. "I like him very much!" **(Brownie Points if you get the reference! ;) )**

Bumi laughed and stood up. "I'm Bumi."

"So, you're Elsa's boyfriend?" Olaf asked innocently.

Bumi sputtered and his face turned red. "Oh, er…n-no. No. Queen Elsa and I are just friends.

Olaf frowned. "Oh. Well, Anna said you were going to be."

Bumi looked at her in shock. Anna laughed. "Oh, they will be, Olaf. Don't worry."

They stopped their conversation when the crew's commander began to speak. "Alright, men, you have four hours to yourselves. Then, I want you back here at 8:00 sharp. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" the crew said together. The commander saluted, and all the men saluted back, and they were dismissed.

"Alright, four hours!" Anna cheered. She grabbed Bumi's arm and dragged him to the castle. "Now, come on, let's go see Elsa!"

Bumi stumbled after her. "Anna, wait! I'm probably not even allowed in!"

"Oh, of course you are, because I said so. And I'm sure Elsa will be completely fine with it. Now, come on, we're burning daylight!" When they got to the castle, the guards looked at him curiously. Anna smiled at them. "Guys, this is…" she looked at Bumi. "What's your rank again?"

"Lieutenant Bumi." He said with a smile, and saluted to the guards. They nodded politely and saluted back.

"Now, he's welcome in whenever he wants. Princess's orders. And the Queen's, too, when she knows he's here."

The guards exchanged glances, but they were used to Princess Anna's schemes, so they just went along with it. Anna led Bumi and Olaf into the courtyard, where they met Kristoff, who had just gotten back from ice harvesting. Anna bolted towards him and threw her arms around him. Bumi smiled as he watched; this must be Anna's boyfriend. He then looked away and shifted uncomfortably when their display of affection moved on from hugging.

The affectionate couple pulled away from each other when someone cleared their throat, and it wasn't Bumi or Olaf. Anna peered around Kristoff to find Elsa standing there, glaring at her disapprovingly. She smiled sheepishly. "Hey, Elsa."

Kristoff turned. He was about to greet her, but the Queen silenced him with a glare. He gulped nervously and looked away.

Elsa sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Honestly, you two, I'm getting tired of having to stop this. And watch it! Anna, you are a princess, you can't just show your affection publicly, it's not proper. If this doesn't end, I'm afraid I won't let you see each other unless Gerda or I is present. Which won't be often because we're both busy, so I suggest you make some changes."

Anna opened her mouth to argue, so Bumi decided to intervene. He stepped in front of them and caught Elsa's attention. He smiled at her and gave a low bow. "Your Majesty,"

Elsa blinked in surprise, but quickly recovered and nodded to him. "Lieutenant Bumi, it's a pleasure to see you again."

They both straightened, and Anna bounced up beside them. "Great, now let's go inside so we can stop being so formal; it's exhausting."

She skipped ahead with Kristoff and Olaf following, Kristoff staring back at him suspiciously. Elsa and Bumi followed after. "With the way she acts, you'd think she wasn't raised a princess." She said, quietly enough so nobody else heard. Bumi snickered quietly and they went into the castle. They greeted the servants, Anna happily introducing him to everyone, and they made their way to the library.

When the doors closed behind them, Kristoff turned on Bumi and folded his arms. "And who exactly are you?"

Anna smacked his arm and glared at him. "Kristoff, rude!"

Bumi held up his hands. "Easy there, big guy, I'm just a friend."

"As I've said 20 times already," Anna said, rolling her eyes. "This is our friend Bumi, aka Elsa's future boyfriend."

Elsa gasped and Bumi coughed nervously, both of their faces turning red. "Anna!" Elsa warned. "Enough of this! We're just friends!"

"I don't know," Olaf suddenly spoke up, walking around the two of them. "I think you'd make a good pair, and I consider myself a love expert."

Anna snorted out a laugh and grabbed Kristoff's arm. "Come on, guys, let's leave these two love birds alone." She shut the door behind them, but quickly opened it again. "Oh, Elsa, by the way, he has 4 hours until he has to be back. Plenty of time for a date." She winked and shut the door again, leaving the two in an awkward silence.

Elsa sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I'm sorry, I don't know why Anna's behaving this way; I swear she's not like this all the time."

Bumi rubbed the back of his neck and laughed. "It's alright, Kya's been behaving the same way. In fact, I think they've been writing each other."

Elsa groaned. "Why does that not surprise me?"

More awkward silence followed, so Bumi came up with an idea. "Well, since I showed you my home, how about you show me yours? At the very least, it should satisfy Anna for a while."

She smiled and nodded. "Yes, that's a good idea." She opened the doors and led him into the hallway. "I'll take you into town, so we're away from my sister."

He laughed and followed her outside. As they walked through town, people bowed to her respectfully and glanced at him curiously. She showed him all the different places she liked to go to with Anna, and every once in a while, someone would stop them to talk. He was impressed at how kind she was to her people; he had been around monarchs who looked down on their subjects and punished them for approaching them without permission. Elsa was different, though. She was kind and open with them, never pushing them away. And people were respectful of her status, but they weren't afraid.

Suddenly, a young child ran right into her. She immediately kneeled down and helped the little girl up. "Are you alright, little one?"

The little girl nodded and curtsied clumsily, lisping out an apology. Elsa smiled at her gently. "It's alright, accidents happen. What's your name?"

"Sophie," she said, staring down at her feet shyly. She suddenly looked up at him. "Who's that?"

"This is my friend Bumi."

Bumi smiled and bowed to the little girl, causing her to giggle. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Sophie."

Before she could respond, a little boy about 8 years old with brown hair that matched hers ran up. "Sophie, you need to stop running off! Mama will be mad if…" He trailed off when he saw the queen. He immediately bowed. "Your Majesty! I'm sorry if my sister's bothering you."

"No, it's alright. And what's your name?"

"Christopher."

"Well, hello, Christopher. Where are you two headed off to in such a hurry?"

"We're going to the park to play with our friends."

"My, that sounds like fun. Well, enjoy yourselves." She stood up and her and Bumi were about to walk off when Sophie quickly grabbed her hand.

"Queen Elsa, will you come play with us, please? It's really hot and we want to have a snowball fight. Please?" The girl stared up at her with adorable puppy dog eyes. She turned to Bumi and shrugged and gave him a sheepish smile. "Do you mind?"

He grinned. "Not at all." He bent down and winked at Sophie. "Let's go have us a snowball fight!"

Sophie squealed and ran off, her brother on her heels. Elsa and Bumi trailed behind them. "Thanks for doing this." Elsa said.

He smiled at her. "It's not a problem. Besides," he rolled his shoulders back and stretched his arms. "I am the king of snowball fights."

Elsa laughed and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Do you dare go up against the Snow Queen?"

They finally reached the park and the children surrounded them. "Your Majesty, I accept your challenge."

She smirked at him and formed a ball of blue light in her hands. She looked down at the kids surrounding her. "Are you ready?"

"Yes!" they cheered, some hopping up and down in excitement. She threw the ball into the air and it exploded, sending flakes of snow drifting to the ground. As the snow continued to accumulate, they divided into teams. Elsa was on one side, Bumi on the other. The snowball fight began and continued for two hours. Naturally, Elsa's team won, but to Bumi's credit, it had been a fairly close fight.

After saying goodbye to all the children (many of whom were convinced that Bumi was their queen's prince, much to their embarrassment), the two began the journey back to the castle. Bumi still had 45 minutes, which gave him enough time to walk her back to the castle and make it back to change out of his wet clothes before he met with the rest of the crew. As they walked back, they laughed and teased like they had been friends for years. Many people smiled at the pair; few had seen the queen this happy with anyone besides her sister, and some had never seen her laugh this much ever. It was a good change, a change they hoped would stay.

When they made it to the courtyard, Anna was waiting for them. Immediately, she began laughing while Bumi told the story of their glorious battle. Elsa just snickered quietly when he exaggerated certain points. He glanced at the giant clock and realized he had to leave. "Well, I've got to go, but I'll see you two later tonight." He winked at Anna and took Elsa's hand and bowed. Anna didn't miss how he held on a little longer than normal. He straightened and gave them a smile before he left. Anna watched her sister watch him leave and smirked at the little smile that formed on her face. She nudged her with her shoulder. Elsa looked at her inquisitively.

"What?"

Anna smirked, "Just friends, huh?"

Elsa huffed and turned away, walking into the castle, a giggling Anna skipping after her. But for some reason, Elsa wasn't as irritated as before.


	10. Chapter 10

Dinner that evening was a formal affair; it was like the afternoon had never happened. At least, that's what it looked like to Anna. In reality, though, Elsa is a professional at putting on a mask and playing her part, and Bumi wasn't too far behind her. Neither of them had forgotten, and both would definitely think about it tonight.

They didn't really have the opportunity to talk, but Anna managed to pull him aside while Elsa talked to his Commander. She told him she'd either come find him herself, or she'd send Olaf.

When he got back to the ship that evening, Kenai was already asleep on his bunk, which he was grateful for; he didn't feel like being interrogated tonight. He collapsed into bed immediately, exhausted. He let his mind run through the events of the day and he couldn't help but smile. In a few moments, though, he was asleep, and his memories morphed into a dream.

They were back in the park having a snowball fight, but after a few moments, the children disappeared, and it was just him and Elsa. They had stopped chucking snowballs at each other, and Elsa had made an ice rink. She glided onto it, and he, not being a bad skater himself, followed.

He watched her skate for a moment, each movement elegant, graceful, and precise. Her dress suddenly changed into her ice dress, and she looked beautiful. She smiled at him and skated up to him. She took his hands (her hands were cold and warm at the same time, how was that even possible?) and pulled him forward. He followed her easily, and she didn't let go of his hands, and he was glad; he didn't want her to.

They skated in circles, almost like dancing. He even twirled her around, and she laughed. It was like music to his ears. Suddenly, she came to a stop and looked at him with a peculiar look on her face. He suddenly grew aware that she was still holding his hands and that she had moved closer.

His breath caught in his throat and he gulped; he couldn't move if he wanted to, he was held in place, captivated by her blue eyes. Blue eyes that seemed to pull him closer, like a magnet.

He had the sudden urge to pull her close, to hold her. He gently pulled her forward until they were nearly pressed up against each other. Nearly, but not quite. She was close enough that he could see the light dusting of freckles on her face, much lighter and less obvious than her sister's.

It dawned on him just how easy it would be to close the space between them, to kiss her. And he wanted to. He felt himself lean forward, watching her, asking for permission. She didn't move, didn't back away, but looked at him calmly. She even appeared to nod her head slightly.

His eyes fluttered close, and he could almost, almost feel his lips brush against hers, when he woke up.

He sat up and rubbed his face with his hands, groaning. This couldn't be happening. Of all nights he had to have that dream, why tonight? He had to see her tomorrow! How could he see her and not think about that dream?

He got up and walked over to the window and stared out at the castle. That dream...had been a good dream. He couldn't argue with himself on that. And to be honest, it scared him. He could feel things changing, and it scared him.

Then, his sister's advice came to mind:

 _"Don't shut down. It's okay to fall in love. You never know, she might be the one."_

 _"But what if she's not?"_

 _"Just give it a chance, okay?"_

Give it a chance...

With a sigh, he ruffled his hair and went back to bed, but knew he wouldn't be getting much more sleep.

The next morning, true to her word, Anna sent Olaf to get Bumi. The rest of the crew stared at the little snowman, but didn't say anything. Bumi had some things he had to get done first, but he was content to let Olaf stay with him and talk his ear off the whole time. He liked the little guy's company.

When he was done, they headed back to the castle.

"Bumi, do you love Elsa?"

"Huh?" His face turned red, much to his embarrassment. It was times like these when he was glad he had a darker complexion. "Er...no, I-" He sighed and came to a stop. "To be honest, Olaf, I...don't know." He ruffled his hair. "I think I'm starting to feel...something. I don't think it's love...yet...but it's something."

Olaf smiled. "That's okay! True love has to start somewhere."

"Just...don't tell her, okay? I don't know what I feel, and I don't want to scare her."

Olaf chuckled. "Don't worry, my lips are sealed!" He suddenly frowned. "Or they would be, if I had any." Then he was back to his happy self. They continued to walk back to the castle. "I think she likes you, too."

He stared at him in surprise. "Really?"

"Yup! She just doesn't know it yet."

Elsa was once again busy with work when Anna came and dragged her out of her study, despite her protests. They went down to the library and met Bumi.

She smiled at him, an odd warm feeling growing in her chest. "Good morning."

He smiled back. "Good morning, Elsa." He caught himself. "Er, Queen Elsa."

Her smile widened and she shook her head. "Don't worry about it." She looked at the clock and frowned. "Well, as much as I'd like to stay, I have to get back."

"Hey, don't worry about me. I'm sure Olaf and I can find something to do."

"Hey! What about me?" Anna said with a pout.

He looked at her in surprise. "Sorry, I just thought you'd be with your mountain man. I don't think he likes me much."

She waved her hand dismissively. "He's gone harvesting again. And he doesn't hate you, he just has a hard time with strangers."

"Well, okay." He shrugged. "Lead the way, Princess."

Anna grinned and went over to hug her sister. "We'll be back soon, don't work too hard."

Elsa rolled her eyes. "No promises. Be careful, okay? And bring him back in one piece."

Anna pulled back. "Aww, you do care!"

Elsa smiled mischievously. "No, the paperwork would be horrendous."

Bumi cringed. "Ouch. That's cold."

They stared at each other, her eyebrow raised, him grinning, and they finally all starting laughing.

"Nice." Anna laughed. She kissed her sister's cheek. "Love you."

She smiled. "I love you, too. Come home soon, okay?"

Anna nodded. "Come on, guys."

Bumi laughed as Anna walked out of the room.  
"Well, I guess I'd better go."

Elsa laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. "Good luck."

He grinned playfully, and she felt her heart beat a little faster. Then his smile changed into something more gentle, affectionate. She felt an odd feeling in her stomach. 'What is happening?!' She thought.

Their moment was interrupted by Anna yelling, "Bumi! Are you coming, or what?!"

He shook his head. "Oh, uh, yeah! Coming!" He waved at her and darted out, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She sighed and rubbed her forehead, before heading back upstairs.

Elsa deliberately avoided any member of the council she saw, despite it being rather childish. They had been pushing the topic of marriage on her more intensely lately, and she didn't like it at all. She suddenly remembered Anna hinting that she should just make Bumi her suitor. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad...

She shook her head. 'No, no, no! Bad Elsa! You can't! You still don't know him all that well. It's safe to say that you're friends now, but that's it!' She thought. She then hugged her middle. 'Besides, why would he want to be with you anyways? Who would?'

She shuffled into her study and closed the door behind her, then cleared her mind as she sat at her desk. She had work to get done, a kingdom to run.


End file.
